I agree - but I don't think it had to be. I mean...it couldn't have been more so now than during the 90s. His "stock" was higher now and he could pull in enough from one night here and there to keep the lights on. Of course, he might have had debt or other obligations we know nothing about.

I suspect that, in part, he just didn't know any other way to live. We like to think of Prince as fearless - and he was, artistically. But I wonder if he didn't feel a little trapped. "My only competition is...well...me, in the past."

And when you have worked so hard to get something it is hard to let go.

Agree with all above points. I have often wondered why he didn't utilize the studio spaces more than he did in terms of generating income. I know people recorded there / used space for video production, but it seems that alone could have been more of a money maker than he allowed it to be.

Had a blast and danced hard enough to sweat off my make up at BB Kings. It was therapeutic, and comforting to be back amongst the same superfans I used to see in the NYC area shows.

I just got tickets for Webster Hall, and I sincerely hope its the same vibe, and that as the years pass, we find reasons to come together and dance.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

Wendy wasn't always up to nailing Prince's solo's (who is?) but she did phenomenally well on When Doves Cry, as did the entire band. That was the high point for me in a night full of high points. It was amazing. Truly fantastic, and the vibe of the crowd was great.

they all nailed it. the guitar solo, the keyboard solo - i recorded it on my phone with my hands straight up over my head for 5+ minutes. nailed it. (actually that was the only way i could see all of them - too many talls in front of me.)

Hasn't Wendy always done the "When Doves Cry" guitar solo when performed live? I know she did it in her debut at the 1984 birthday show.

Had a blast and danced hard enough to sweat off my make up at BB Kings. It was therapeutic, and comforting to be back amongst the same superfans I used to see in the NYC area shows.

I just got tickets for Webster Hall, and I sincerely hope its the same vibe, and that as the years pass, we find reasons to come together and dance.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

That was my main draw as well. To be in a room with people who were just as excited to sing those songs,dance their ass off and who understand just how much the music means. Given Prince is no longer with us, there aren't as many chances to get that same vibe.

The Silver Spring show was awesome. We had VIP so went in early and when we entered the venue, Wendy and Lisa were onstage (just the two of them) doing an acoustic soundcheck to "Sometimes It Snows It April"... I really wasn't expecting to see them right then and there and my heart felt like it was going to skip a beat.

I was afraid that they might come off sounding like just a Prince cover band, but it was much better than that. The Revolution is still a very tight unit--a band-- even after so many years since their last tour. They sound like they were meant to be playing together. They still have THAT sound that I am familiar with from listening to so many concerts, rehearsals, and soundchecks.

There were enough moments to please a hardcore fan like me-- Automatic (yesss!), Controversy went into the instrumental jam of Mutiny at the end, Erotic City had a little bit of the "All The Critics" guitar part like how they played in '84, the versions of Delirious and Computer Blue were mostly modelled after the Purple Rain tour arrangements, Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden (not played live since '84), Paisley Park, DMSR... They played the versions that I would've wanted to hear, in other words. And the crowd was singing along, and it really was the kind of healing night that I needed to have.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

That was my main draw as well. To be in a room with people who were just as excited to sing those songs,dance their ass off and who understand just how much the music means. Given Prince is no longer with us, there aren't as many chances to get that same vibe.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

That was my main draw as well. To be in a room with people who were just as excited to sing those songs,dance their ass off and who understand just how much the music means. Given Prince is no longer with us, there aren't as many chances to get that same vibe.

I saw both the BB Kings show and the Webster Hall show last night. Both were great, but last night's killed it and I feel like I was able to mourn/party at the same time.

The Webster Hall show was just non-stop fun. Even though it was the same set, it had so much more energy. The place was packed and the crowd was on their feet on the main floor and all around the balcony, singing and dancing the entire set. It reminded me so much of the scene from the movie. (except most were a bit older and no funky hair ).

There was also another guitarist (forgive me but I don't know his name) which allowed for a much fuller sound and Susannah sang with them on many songs. (I thought they were going to break out with Mutiny at one point).

Great to hear Automatic and Mountains, for some reason Mountains really moved me as well as a tear-jerking rendition of Paisley Park.

It was a chance to heal and a chance to relive a moment of our youth, to hear the songs the way they were written and performed, to hear the entire intro to Let's go Crazy, to be able to shout "Doctor" in Baby-I'm a star and "Bobby on the drums" and "and the girls sing" in Mountains and have it be them, "Little girl Wendy's parade" in Kiss, and point at Wendy, etc. Those were precious moments that brought back great memories, however, this was not a buch of old people playing, they were still tight and didn't miss a que or note It's like they never stopped touring and playing together and if you closed your eyes at many points where everyone was singing and it wasn't a uniquely Prince moment or vocal that they couldn't or didn't try to replicate (like the guitar solo at the end of Let's go Crazy), you could imagine he was there on stage with them jamming and we were back in the mid-1980's.

On a funny note, while waiting in line to go in, there was another line for a small theater and a bunch of NYU students were in that line and wondering what was going on. There were two Chinese girls frantically Googling on their phones "the revolution" and one guy asked me who everyone was going to see. When I told him, he was like "o cool".

Also, Dr. Fink came out with his wife I think and cut through the line to go and eat somewhere. They walked back in and across the stage when we were waiting with a take-out bag. Hope the meal was good!

Lasts night show was unbelievable. For some reason my expectations were low, just because it's been so long, and they sounded pretty rusty at their first avenue shows last year. But I can tell they've been rehearsing and are back in the groove of things.

.

As someone who was born long after the Revolution had disbanded it was quite a privilege to see them rock renditions of the past and see them in all of their Purple Glory. They are such a unique blend of individual chemistry, linked together with such a beautiful past, that anything they do in the future will be blessed by all things Purple.

.

I hate to pick favorites, but Lisa is my absolute favorite of the band. Shes plays so effortlessly, and with such a calm energy....what I would give to have seen them play with Prince!

.

They are NOT a tribute band, and they never will be, The Revolution will be heard for years to come!

Lasts night show was unbelievable. For some reason my expectations were low, just because it's been so long, and they sounded pretty rusty at their first avenue shows last year. But I can tell they've been rehearsing and are back in the groove of things.

.

As someone who was born long after the Revolution had disbanded it was quite a privilege to see them rock renditions of the past and see them in all of their Purple Glory. They are such a unique blend of individual chemistry, linked together with such a beautiful past, that anything they do in the future will be blessed by all things Purple.

.

I hate to pick favorites, but Lisa is my absolute favorite of the band. Shes plays so effortlessly, and with such a calm energy....what I would give to have seen them play with Prince!

.

They are NOT a tribute band, and they never will be, The Revolution will be heard for years to come!

Had the privilege of seeing The Revolution perform at Webster Hall last night. I got there early as I wanted to be close, and was lucky enough to be right up front. This was my first Revolution show and I didn't want to set my expectations by reading reviews / watching YouTube videos prior to the concert. However, from speaking with others who were at the B.B. King's show last Friday, I knew that they added a guitarist (Rob Bacon) for this show. As his playing added quite a bit to the material being performed, I can't imagine how the shows prior to last night were. I do know that the show I saw last night was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever went to (and mind you I saw McCartney in '90 and the last two Springsteen shows at MetLife last summer). The joy that eminated from these musicians was a tangible presence throughout the night. The seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as we were. And they were definitely "present" at the show - no one was phoning it in. Wendy + Rob both grabbed my outstretched hand (Rob handed me a pick!) and I even made Lisa laugh by mimicing dramatic keyboard flourishes just before she played them. It was such an amazing give and take all night long, and the performances were excellent throughout. I was jumping up and down and singing at the top of my lungs all night as I felt like I had stepped inside the Purple Rain movie. For two hours, I was 14 again and 46 seemed like a long, long way off. I never got to see the Revolution play with Prince, and while no one will ever replace P, there was a moment when I pulled back my vision to acknowledge the six musicians on stage (including Rob), all in their "original" positions and I'll be damned if I didn't sense a seventh presence in the room with us. It was amaazing, and I'm still not quite believing that it all happened. By all means, if the Revolution come anywhere near you, and you have an opportunity to go, grab it with both hands. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

At the end of the show, a roadie was kind enough to hand he the setlist (which oddly enough had the date of the B.B. King's show on it!)

At first I wasn't too excited about seeing The Revolution sans Prince, I'll be honest. It thought it might just end up feeling like a tired "tribute" rather than a real concert

-

But I'm happy to say I was wrong! I was at Webster Hall last night and had a blast. The band was really tight, seemed well rehearsed and handled the lack of their lead singer in such a way that you didn't feel a gaping hole on stage, nor did you feel that "wrong" voices or imitators were filling in. There was such an upbeat party vibe, with people dancing the whole time. And I was honestly surprised by the age diversity of the crowd, with plenty of folks in my bracket (mid-40s) but a lot of people surrounding me near the stage who were barely born during the Revolution's heyday.

-

I feel like with Prince gone, the next best thing is to see some of these songs performed by the skilled, charasmatic musicians who were part of their genesis. I'm really really glad I went.

Glad I managed to get tickets to Webster Hall show after having a great time at BB Kings.

While the bigger venue made it slightly less concentrated of a purple family vibe, everyone was definitely ready to party (extra love to my nearby comrades in standing Ron from Harlem, and his older sister and auntie...you were lovely).

Though the set was not quite as impactful the second time around, the extra guitar was a nice touch, it was fantastic to have Susannah up there, and the band was razor sharp, as expected.

I cried, I danced until I hurt, and I wandered into the night sweat soaked and happily exhausted for the second time in a week.

The raves are deserved, and I would definitely catch them in your local, if you can

Had the privilege of seeing The Revolution perform at Webster Hall last night. I got there early as I wanted to be close, and was lucky enough to be right up front. This was my first Revolution show and I didn't want to set my expectations by reading reviews / watching YouTube videos prior to the concert. However, from speaking with others who were at the B.B. King's show last Friday, I knew that they added a guitarist (Rob Bacon) for this show. As his playing added quite a bit to the material being performed, I can't imagine how the shows prior to last night were. I do know that the show I saw last night was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever went to (and mind you I saw McCartney in '90 and the last two Springsteen shows at MetLife last summer). The joy that eminated from these musicians was a tangible presence throughout the night. The seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as we were. And they were definitely "present" at the show - no one was phoning it in. Wendy + Rob both grabbed my outstretched hand (Rob handed me a pick!) and I even made Lisa laugh by mimicing dramatic keyboard flourishes just before she played them. It was such an amazing give and take all night long, and the performances were excellent throughout. I was jumping up and down and singing at the top of my lungs all night as I felt like I had stepped inside the Purple Rain movie. For two hours, I was 14 again and 46 seemed like a long, long way off. I never got to see the Revolution play with Prince, and while no one will ever replace P, there was a moment when I pulled back my vision to acknowledge the six musicians on stage (including Rob), all in their "original" positions and I'll be damned if I didn't sense a seventh presence in the room with us. It was amaazing, and I'm still not quite believing that it all happened. By all means, if the Revolution come anywhere near you, and you have an opportunity to go, grab it with both hands. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

At the end of the show, a roadie was kind enough to hand he the setlist (which oddly enough had the date of the B.B. King's show on it!)

Thanks for your report, sounds great. I hope they decide to do a few shows in Europe too.

Btw, you're lucky to have been at that 3rd Springsteen MetLife gig. A huge surprise show for the hardcore fans. I would have loved to have been there.

Thanks for your report, sounds great. I hope they decide to do a few shows in Europe too.

Btw, you're lucky to have been at that 3rd Springsteen MetLife gig. A huge surprise show for the hardcore fans. I would have loved to have been there.

I think this tour has been very enjoyable for all concerned, so it would certainly make sense to extend it to Europe, where Prince has a large number of die-hard fans!

And yeah, Night 3 at MetLife was a surprise in the best possible way! I didn't even know there'd be a third night until Bruce mentioned it at the end of Night 2, so when I got home following that concert, I scrambled to find a GA ticket on ebay. I did and the seller sent it to me next day mail, and once again I was right near the front for an unforgettable show!

(Sorry to post a non-Prince photo here. I hope y'all won't mind just the one!)

The reality is Prince is gone. Who better to keep the music alive than those that recorded/performed/videos/movies to the music?

I would rather these people (including Sheila E, the Time, the Family etc) than people totally unrelated to the music. I'm going to a few shows.

i never went to a prince show for his band i only went because of him and without him there is no magic in hearing his songs . as much as i like wendy and lisa solo i would never go see them live prince is the only artist i have spent my money on to see live other than janet jackson

Thanks for your report, sounds great. I hope they decide to do a few shows in Europe too.

Btw, you're lucky to have been at that 3rd Springsteen MetLife gig. A huge surprise show for the hardcore fans. I would have loved to have been there.

I think this tour has been very enjoyable for all concerned, so it would certainly make sense to extend it to Europe, where Prince has a large number of die-hard fans!

And yeah, Night 3 at MetLife was a surprise in the best possible way! I didn't even know there'd be a third night until Bruce mentioned it at the end of Night 2, so when I got home following that concert, I scrambled to find a GA ticket on ebay. I did and the seller sent it to me next day mail, and once again I was right near the front for an unforgettable show!

(Sorry to post a non-Prince photo here. I hope y'all won't mind just the one!)

Got to see that via periscope. Great concert. Who knew? Got the download as soon as it came out. 2016 was a helluva year for Springsteen. Glad you got to go. I saw him on the first leg but I wuld have loved to be at Metlife 3.

I saw The Revolution at Webster Hall in NYC and I have to agree with the previous comments - it exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. I'm fairly critical, even when it comes to my heroes, but I pretty much got taken down to the river and dunked by the pastor last night. I'm a believer.

.

.

A few thoughts:

.

.

*Incredible display of both musical taste and musical chops. I didn't find a single thing to be "off" (in terms of artistic choices) in what they were doing, and that's because they did it all so thoughtfully and professionally. And the level of musicianship... Amazing.

*Stokley Williams was _literally_ the perfect choice as featured vocalist. Utterly correct approach to the songs, very good execution. Showed reverence for the band - again, a sign of maturity and taste.

.

*Crowd extremely mixed in many respects, and uniformly enraptured.

.

*So many musical highlights to mention, but for me, "Mountains" was a complete surprise and a delight. "America," which I think was second after the opener, "Computer Blue," felt like a fierce commentary on our current political mess in this country. "Controversy" slayed, along with its bangin' long jam. "Uptown" made us dance so hard I thought the floor was going to collapse. "D.M.S.R." The singalong to "Paisley Park" and Wendy's explanation beforehand of how deep and prescient Prince had been about creating PP. Getting schooled all night in Funk Guitar Playing 101, 201, 301 and PhD. The crowd quieting to hear Wendy begin Sometimes It Snows, then joining together to sing as one.

.

*It's so difficult to imagine on any level how it must have felt to be onstage as a member of The Revolution in 2017. Every time I looked at any of them, I couldn't help but wonder how this all feels to them. It's *very* deep in middle age to look back on your heydey so long ago, even if you weren't an internationally-touring member of an incredibly famous band led by a charismatic and eccentric genius.

.

*Right as we left the venue, I thought about the implications of success (if this tour is indeed successful) of what The Revolution are doing. For example, consider the E-street Band. Suppose they'd go on tour after Springsteen's (God forbid) passing - how would I view this? I might be likely to think they are cashing in in an unseemly way. What if the remaining Stones went out without Jagger? Etc. Of course there are precedents for bands going on tour after their leader passes - Queen comes to mind - and some bands even just pick another singer if theirs quits or moves on (Van Halen, Journey) but what if that were to become the norm? Would that be a good thing? Maybe a moot point (I'm showing my age here) since popular music is less band-oriented and more solo-artist-oriented these days, but it did make me think.

.

.

Anyway, I am so glad I went, and while I was privileged to have seen it here in NYC, I almost feel envious of the folks who will experience this show in the middle and latter phase of the tour, because the band is only (and this is hard to believe, but it's inevitable) going to get tighter.

Had the privilege of seeing The Revolution perform at Webster Hall last night. I got there early as I wanted to be close, and was lucky enough to be right up front. This was my first Revolution show and I didn't want to set my expectations by reading reviews / watching YouTube videos prior to the concert. However, from speaking with others who were at the B.B. King's show last Friday, I knew that they added a guitarist (Rob Bacon) for this show. As his playing added quite a bit to the material being performed, I can't imagine how the shows prior to last night were. I do know that the show I saw last night was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever went to (and mind you I saw McCartney in '90 and the last two Springsteen shows at MetLife last summer). The joy that eminated from these musicians was a tangible presence throughout the night. The seemed to be enjoying the moment as much as we were. And they were definitely "present" at the show - no one was phoning it in. Wendy + Rob both grabbed my outstretched hand (Rob handed me a pick!) and I even made Lisa laugh by mimicing dramatic keyboard flourishes just before she played them. It was such an amazing give and take all night long, and the performances were excellent throughout. I was jumping up and down and singing at the top of my lungs all night as I felt like I had stepped inside the Purple Rain movie. For two hours, I was 14 again and 46 seemed like a long, long way off. I never got to see the Revolution play with Prince, and while no one will ever replace P, there was a moment when I pulled back my vision to acknowledge the six musicians on stage (including Rob), all in their "original" positions and I'll be damned if I didn't sense a seventh presence in the room with us. It was amaazing, and I'm still not quite believing that it all happened. By all means, if the Revolution come anywhere near you, and you have an opportunity to go, grab it with both hands. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

At the end of the show, a roadie was kind enough to hand he the setlist (which oddly enough had the date of the B.B. King's show on it!)

[Edited 5/4/17 10:55am]

#IDEFINEME #ALBUMSSTILLMATTER

A Liar Shall Not Tarry In My Presence

What's the matter with your life
Is poverty bringing U down?
Is the mailman jerking U 'round?
Did he put your million dollar check
In someone else's box?
Tell me, what's the m

Had a blast and danced hard enough to sweat off my make up at BB Kings. It was therapeutic, and comforting to be back amongst the same superfans I used to see in the NYC area shows. I just got tickets for Webster Hall, and I sincerely hope its the same vibe, and that as the years pass, we find reasons to come together and dance.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

The "community Prince vibe" was in full effect during the first Philly show on April 29th. I really enjoyed being in the presence of other Prince fans (even though most were of an older generation). When you love his music, there's a common bond that transcends age, race, sex, and other boundaries.

Had a blast and danced hard enough to sweat off my make up at BB Kings. It was therapeutic, and comforting to be back amongst the same superfans I used to see in the NYC area shows. I just got tickets for Webster Hall, and I sincerely hope its the same vibe, and that as the years pass, we find reasons to come together and dance.

I'm happy to hear you had a wonderful time. I'm going to see them here in Detroit in a few weeks. Truth be told, I think I'm going more for the "community Prince vibe " than solely to see the band. Pretty excited!

The "community Prince vibe" was in full effect during the first Philly show on April 29th. I really enjoyed being in the presence of other Prince fans (even though most were of an older generation). When you love his music, there's a common bond that transcends age, race, sex, and other boundaries.

I saw The Revolution at Webster Hall in NYC and I have to agree with the previous comments - it exceeded my expectations by quite a bit. I'm fairly critical, even when it comes to my heroes, but I pretty much got taken down to the river and dunked by the pastor last night. I'm a believer.

.

.

A few thoughts:

.

.

*Incredible display of both musical taste and musical chops. I didn't find a single thing to be "off" (in terms of artistic choices) in what they were doing, and that's because they did it all so thoughtfully and professionally. And the level of musicianship... Amazing.

*Stokley Williams was _literally_ the perfect choice as featured vocalist. Utterly correct approach to the songs, very good execution. Showed reverence for the band - again, a sign of maturity and taste.

.

*Crowd extremely mixed in many respects, and uniformly enraptured.

.

*So many musical highlights to mention, but for me, "Mountains" was a complete surprise and a delight. "America," which I think was second after the opener, "Computer Blue," felt like a fierce commentary on our current political mess in this country. "Controversy" slayed, along with its bangin' long jam. "Uptown" made us dance so hard I thought the floor was going to collapse. "D.M.S.R." The singalong to "Paisley Park" and Wendy's explanation beforehand of how deep and prescient Prince had been about creating PP. Getting schooled all night in Funk Guitar Playing 101, 201, 301 and PhD. The crowd quieting to hear Wendy begin Sometimes It Snows, then joining together to sing as one.

.

*It's so difficult to imagine on any level how it must have felt to be onstage as a member of The Revolution in 2017. Every time I looked at any of them, I couldn't help but wonder how this all feels to them. It's *very* deep in middle age to look back on your heydey so long ago, even if you weren't an internationally-touring member of an incredibly famous band led by a charismatic and eccentric genius.

.

*Right as we left the venue, I thought about the implications of success (if this tour is indeed successful) of what The Revolution are doing. For example, consider the E-street Band. Suppose they'd go on tour after Springsteen's (God forbid) passing - how would I view this? I might be likely to think they are cashing in in an unseemly way. What if the remaining Stones went out without Jagger? Etc. Of course there are precedents for bands going on tour after their leader passes - Queen comes to mind - and some bands even just pick another singer if theirs quits or moves on (Van Halen, Journey) but what if that were to become the norm? Would that be a good thing? Maybe a moot point (I'm showing my age here) since popular music is less band-oriented and more solo-artist-oriented these days, but it did make me think.

.

.

Anyway, I am so glad I went, and while I was privileged to have seen it here in NYC, I almost feel envious of the folks who will experience this show in the middle and latter phase of the tour, because the band is only (and this is hard to believe, but it's inevitable) going to get tighter.

[Edited 5/5/17 21:46pm]

[Edited 5/6/17 8:28am]

I saw one of the shows in Philly. It was awesome! I agree that the choice of songs and sequencing was great; the show really flowed well. I loved how they opened with "Computer Blue." SISIA was beautiful and touching. I agree that Stokley was fantastic. His voice is great, he had some dance moves, and he's easy on the eyes as well.

Another great performance in Madison WI. The venue is small, holds 900 or so and was not a sell out. We all sang our hearts out. One interesting tidbit: Wendy's guitar lost a note during the opening chords of PR, right before the band joins in. The roadie with the long hair come out during the break before the encore and fixed it.

I've been meaning to comment about the Port Chester NY show back on May 4th for awhile. There were only five people on line ahead of me when I got to the venue 20 minutes before the doors opened. That certainly wasn't the case at Webster Hall and especially B.B. King's the week before where some people were apparently waiting hours outside with the line going down the block by the time the first fans were let in. Because this show was relatively overlooked, it was extremely easy to get a space down in front without getting there ridiculously early.

The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester was unique in that of of the three NY area shows, it had the smallest crowd in the biggest venue (1,800 capacity vs. 1,000 for B.B. King's and 1,500 for Webster Hall). Wendy commented on that fact as soon as the band took the stage saying "You guys have lots of room to dance tonight". From where I was in front, the floor behind me looked pretty full although the assigned seating balcony above was clearly 2/3 empty.

The band was just as tight musically as the previous two NY shows however and Susannah and guitarist Rob Bacon were special guests like at Webster Hall (but not at B.B. King's). Some memorable moments were the band letting Susannah have a chorus of "Mutiny" all to herself which was a nice tribute to The Family and Brownmark and Stokley reviving Prince's wooden leg dance from 1985. Later during the encore, Stokley seemed so caught up with the wooden leg dance that he almost missed Doctor Fink's synth solo cue in "Baby I'm A Star". Indeed, the band seemed to let their hair down for that last song with Wendy finding herself almost on top of Bobby's drum kit when the song was over.

The Webster Hall show will be my concert of the year, but I'm happy I made the drive out of the city to see The Revolution in nearby Port Chester as well. I definitely had a great time with the small-town crowd that night.